Lock for shelving assembly

ABSTRACT

The lock for a shelving assembly secures the connector ends of the horizontal members to the uprights of the assembly, preventing the horizontal members from being lifted from their attachments to the uprights. The lock comprises a rigid, inflexible lock bar having a peripheral frame surrounding a central passage therethrough, and an opposite distal end with a lock tab extending therefrom. The attachment edge of the lock bar frame is hooked upon a protruding lance tab of the connector end, with the lance tab serving as a hinge or fulcrum for the lock bar. A spring is wedged between the attachment edge of the lock bar frame and the adjacent connector end, urging the distal end of the lock bar toward the connector to engage the lock tab within aligned holes of the connector and upright to which it is attached.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/929,013, filed Jun. 8, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to shelving assemblies. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a lock for a shelvingassembly that fastens shelf components to standards or uprights havingshelf bracket engagement openings formed therein, usually at spacedintervals, to lock the shelves at adjustable heights.

2. Description of the Related Art

Prefabricated shelving is in common use in many environments, e.g.,warehouses and other storage facilities, so-called “big box” stores,etc. Such shelving generally have uprights and horizontal crossmembers,which have connector ends that attach removably to the uprights by pinsfitting into cooperating slots in the uprights. The uprights generallyinclude a large number of closely spaced slots, with the slots usuallyhaving a “teardrop” or “keyhole” shape, i.e., being wider at the upperportion thereof to allow the passage of the wider head of the attachmentpin, and narrower at the lower portion in order for the narrower shankof the pin to rest therein and capture the wider head of the pin behindthe upright.

The above-described structure allows the components to be assembledquickly and easily, and provides for considerable adjustment in theheight of the crossmembers and corresponding shelves. This configurationis commonly used for large and heavy-duty shelving assemblies inwarehouses and the like for the storage of palletized goods, which areplaced upon and retrieved from the shelving by fork lift equipment orthe like.

One problem that can occur in such an environment is that the tines ofthe forklift may be placed inadvertently beneath the crossmember of theshelving structure, or perhaps for the pallet or other article to becomecaught on the shelving crossmember. When this occurs, the crossmemberbecomes dislodged from its installation to the adjacent upright when thetines of the forklift are raised. The result is the dropping of at leastone end of the crossmember and all of the goods resting upon that shelflevel, unless the forklift operator recognizes the problem in time andis able to get some assistance in reinstalling the crossmember. Even so,the reinstallation of a shelving crossmember when the shelf is loaded isnot a trivial task, and may prove to be impossible under thecircumstances.

Accordingly, a large number of fasteners of various types have beendeveloped to lock the shelving crossmembers to their respective uprightsin order to prevent such accidents. One exemplary device is described inSwiss Patent No. 602,438, published on Jul. 31, 1978. According to thedrawings and English abstract, the device comprises an adjustable heightshelving system for pallets, with the uprights having a plurality ofkeyhole slots therein for receiving pins extending from the connectorends of the horizontal members.

Thus, a lock for a shelving assembly solving the aforementioned problemsis desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The lock for a shelving assembly provides for the locking together ofthe crossmembers and uprights of a prefabricated shelf system to preventtheir inadvertent disassembly. The lock comprises a rigid, inflexiblelock bar stamped or otherwise formed of a single, unitary metal plate.The lock includes a peripheral frame defining a central passagetherethrough, with the attachment end of the lock bar frame being hookedupon a lance tab extending outwardly from the connector end of thecrossmember. A spring is installed between the attachment end of thelock bar frame and the underlying structure of the connector endcomponent, with the spring urging the attachment end of the lock baroutwardly, i.e., away from the connector end. The opposite distal end ofthe lock bar is thus urged toward the connector end as the lock barpivots about the fulcrum defined by the lance tab.

The distal end of the lock bar includes a lock tab extending normalthereto, i.e., toward the connector end component and underlyingupright. The lock tab is preferably stamped and formed as an integralunit from the lock bar plate, and engages aligned holes through theconnector end component and underlying upright. When the lock bar tab isso engaged, the tab prevents the connector end component from movingparallel to the underlying upright, thereby preventing the attachmentpins of the connector end from disengaging from their seats within theupright passages and assuring that the shelving assembly remainsassembled.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective view of a shelving assemblyincluding a series of locks for shelving assembly according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed environmental perspective view of a portion of theshelving assembly of FIG. 1, showing further details of the lock for theshelving assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed environmental front elevation view of the installedlock for a shelving assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed exploded perspective view of a lock bar and aspring of a lock for a shelving assembly according to the presentinvention, showing further details thereof.

FIG. 5 is a detailed environmental side elevation view in section of thelock for a shelving assembly according to the present invention in itsinstalled and locked state on a shelving assembly, showing variousdetails thereof.

FIG. 6 is a detailed side elevation view in section of the lockinstallation of FIG. 5, showing the lock bar pivoted to its unlockedstate.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to various embodiments of a lock for ashelving assembly, assuring that the horizontal crossmembers or shelfsupport members cannot be lifted from their attachment to the standardsor uprights of the assembly. FIG. 1 of the drawings provides anillustration of an exemplary shelving assembly 10, including a pluralityof uprights 12 with horizontal crossmembers 20 secured between theuprights 12 and supporting one or more shelves thereon. The detailperspective view of FIG. 2 illustrates further details of thisstructure, showing the elongated connector pin passages 14 formedthrough each of the uprights 12.

Each of the connector pin passages 14 includes a relatively wider upperportion 16 dimensioned to allow the passage therethrough of therelatively wider head of the connector pin, and a relatively narrowerlower portion 18 supporting the narrower shank of the pin therein andcapturing the wider head of the pin therebehind. Each of the connectorpin passages 14 illustrated in the drawings comprises a “teardrop”shape, i.e., having a smoothly tapering side extending between the widerupper portion 16 and narrower lower portion 18 thereof. However, otherpassage shapes having relatively wider upper portions and narrower lowerportions, e.g., “keyhole” configuration, etc., may be used.

Each of the horizontal shelf support crossmembers 20 includes oppositedistal ends 22, with each of the ends 22 having a connector 24 extendingtherefrom. Each of the connectors 24 has an outwardly facing lock barcontact face 26 and an opposite, inwardly facing upright contact face28, with the upright contact face 28 being shown most clearly in thecross-sectional views of FIGS. 5 and 6. The connectors 24 are preferablyformed as stamped angles and welded or otherwise permanently andimmovably attached to the ends 22 of the crossmembers 20, but otherconfigurations may be used. Each of the connectors 24 has at least one,and preferably a plurality of, connector pin(s) 30 extending inwardlyfrom the upright contact face 28 thereof, with such pins 30 best beingshown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Each of the pins 30 has a relatively wide head,which is captured behind the corresponding upright 12 by the narrowerportion 18 of the connector pin passage 14 through which it wasinstalled, and a narrow shank resting in the narrower lower portion ofthe passage 14, as described further above.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each of the connectors 24 has a lock tabpassage 32 formed therethrough for accepting the lock tab of a lock bar,described in detail further below. The lock tab passage 32 of theconnector 24 is aligned with the upper portion 16 of a correspondingconnector pin passage 14 when the connector 24 is installed upon theupright 12, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6 of the drawings. Each of theconnectors 24 also has a lance tab 34 extending outwardly from its lockbar contact face 28, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 6. Each of the lancetabs 34 has an outwardly extending leg 36 and a leg 38 generallyparallel to the plane of the connector 24. The lance tab 34 serves as apivot or hinge attachment point for a lock bar 40, as described furtherbelow.

The lock bar 40 comprises a rigid, inflexible bar stamped or otherwiseformed of a relatively heavy sheet of durable metal, e.g., steel. Thebar 40 is preferably treated after forming to increase its strength anddurability further, e.g., case hardening, etc. Each lock bar 40 includesan attachment end 42 and an opposite distal lock tab end 44, mutuallyopposed first and second lateral edges 46 and 48, a front face 50, andan opposite connector contact face 52. The two ends 42, 44 and edges 46,48 define a passage 54 formed through the bar, with the passagepermitting removable attachment of the bar 40 to the lance tab 34 of thecorresponding connector 24. Specifically, the lance tab attachment end42 of the bar 40 extends across the outwardly extending leg 36 of thelance tab 34, with the leg 36 passing through the lock bar passage 54.The attachment end portion 42 of the bar is captured between theparallel leg 38 of the lance tab 34 and the underlying lock bar contactsurface 26 of the connector 24 to pivotally secure the lock bar 40 tothe connector 24. The passage 54 through the lock bar 40 may be enlargedto serve as a connector pin clearance opening, allowing the lock bar 40to seat directly upon the lock bar contact surface 26 of the connector24 around the protruding attachment end of the adjacent connector pin30.

A lock tab 56 protrudes from the connector contact face 52 of the locktab end 44 of the lock bar 40, generally normal to the plane of the bar40. The lock tab 56 is preferably formed integrally with the remainderof the bar 40 of the same metal as the plate or sheet used to form thebar 40. The flat stock used to form the lock bar 40 before bendingincludes first and second end distal extensions 58 that are bent to formthe protruding portion of the lock tab 56, and laterally opposed firstand second intermediate extensions 60 that are mutually folded backagainst the connector contact face 52 of the bar 40. Alternatively, thetab 56 could be formed as a separate component (bolt, rivet, pin, etc.)mechanically secured through or welded to the lock tab end 44 of the bar40 to extend from the connector contact face 52 of the bar.

The lock bar 40 has a finger lift tab 62 extending from the lock tab end44 of the bar. This finger lift tab 62 is preferably formed in the samemanner as the lock tab 56 described above, i.e., formed integrally withthe remainder of the bar 40 of the same metal as the plate or sheet usedto form the bar 40. The finger lift tab 62 is bent to protrude outwardlyfrom the front face 50 of the bar 40 in order to facilitate manipulationof the lift tab 62. It is preferred to incorporate the finger lift tab62 when forming the lock bar 40, as the protruding finger lift tab 62extends outwardly, i.e., spaced away from the outer face 26 of theconnector 24, at least even with the outwardly protruding lance tab 34.Thus, in the event of contact with the shelving assembly 10 by a massiveobject, e.g., by a fork lift or the like during maneuvering, theoutwardly protruding finger lift tab 62 serves to protect the remainingstructure of the lock bar 40 and associated lance tab 34 from damage ordeformation.

The lock bar 40 is held in place upon the lance tab 34 of the respectiveconnector 24 by a spring 64. The spring 64 is formed of a relativelythin and resilient metal leaf having a narrow, generally U-shaped crosssection, as shown in FIGS. 4 through 6. The spring 64 includes oppositeconnector and lock bar engagement tabs, respectively 66 and 68, whichsecure the spring 64 in place when the spring 64 and lock bar 40 areinstalled. The connector engagement tab 66 seats against the edge of thehole or passage 70 formed when the lance tab 34 is stamped or punchedaway from the connector 24, with the opposite lock bar engagement tab 68bearing against the lower edge of the attachment end 42 of the lock bar40.

The spring 64 exerts a torque that urges the lock bar attachment end 42of the bar 40 upwardly against the junction of the outward extending leg36 and parallel leg 38 of the lance tab 34, and further urges the lockbar attachment end 42 outwardly away from the front face 50 of theconnector 24. The upper edge of the lock bar attachment end 42, i.e.,the edge defining the lower edge of the connector pin clearance opening54 in the center of the lock bar 40, may have a bevel or chamfer 72 tofit more closely with the inner radius of the bend or junction betweenthe two legs 36 and 38 of the lance tab 34.

As the junction of the outward extending leg 36 and parallel leg 38 ofthe lance tab 34 acts as a fulcrum or pivot point for the lock bar 40,it will be seen that the distal lock tab end portion 44 of the lock bar40 is urged toward the front face 50 of the connector 24, thereby alsourging the lock tab 56 into the aligned lock tab passage 32 and upperportion 16 of a connector pin passage 14. Thus, once the lock bar 40 isinstalled with its spring 64, the lock tab 56 automatically engages theconnector 24 and underlying upright 12 to prevent the connector 24 fromlifting relative to the upright 12, thereby assuring that the shelvingassembly 10 cannot be disassembled either intentionally or inadvertentlywithout positively and intentionally pivoting the lock bar 40 outwardlyaway from the front face 50 of the connector 24 against the pressure ofthe spring 64. Yet, the lock bar 40 is easily released by intentionallypulling or prying outwardly upon the upwardly disposed finger lift tab62, thereby pulling the lock tab from the upper portion 16 of theconnector pin passage 14 with which it was engaged, thus allowing theconnector bracket 24 (and any attached crossmember 22) to be lifted forremoval or relocation along the corresponding upright 12.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A lock for a shelving assembly, the shelving assembly including atleast one connector having at least one lance tab extending outwardlytherefrom and a lock tab passage formed therethrough, and including atleast one upright having the upper portion of an elongated connector pinpassage aligned with the lock tab passage of the connector when theconnector is installed upon the upright, the lock comprising: a rigidlock bar having an attachment end, a lock tab end opposite theattachment end, mutually opposed first and second lateral edges, a frontface, a connector contact face opposite the front face, and a lock tabextending from the lock tab end of the connector contact face generallynormal thereto; and a spring bearing against the attachment end of thelock bar, the spring urging the attachment end of the lock bar away fromthe connector and the lock tab end of the lock bar toward the connectorto engage the lock tab within the lock tab passage of the connector andupper portion of the connector pin passage of the upright when theattachment end of the lock bar is installed upon the lance tab of theconnector.
 2. The lock for a shelving assembly according to claim 1,wherein the lock bar has a connector pin clearance opening formedtherethrough.
 3. The lock for a shelving assembly according to claim 1,wherein the lock tab comprises mutually folded first and secondextensions of the lock bar formed integrally therewith.
 4. The lock fora shelving assembly according to claim 1, further including a fingerlift tab extending from the lock tab end of the lock bar.
 5. The lockfor a shelving assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lock bar isformed of hardened steel.
 6. The lock for a shelving assembly accordingto claim 1, wherein the compression spring comprises a thin, resilientmetal leaf having a narrow, generally U-shaped cross section.
 7. Ashelving assembly lock and connector combination for attachment to ashelving system having at least one upright with at least one connectorpin passage defined therethrough, the lock and connector combinationcomprising: a connector having a lock bar contact face, an uprightcontact face opposite the lock bar contact face, and at least one locktab passage formed therethrough, the lock tab passage being adapted foralignment with an upper portion of the connector pin passage of theupright when the connector is installed thereon; at least one connectorpin extending from the upright contact face of the connector generallynormal thereto, the connector pin being adjacent the lock tab passage;at least one lance tab extending from the lock bar contact face of theconnector; a rigid lock bar having an attachment end pivotally disposedupon the lance tab of the connector, a lock tab end opposite theattachment end, mutually opposed first and second lateral edges, a frontface, and a connector contact face opposite the front face; a lock tabextending from the lock tab end of the connector contact face of thelock bar generally normal thereto; and a spring disposed between theconnector and the attachment end of the lock bar, the spring urging theattachment end of the lock bar away from the connector and the lock tabend of the lock bar toward the connector to engage the lock tab withinthe lock tab passage of the connector and upper portion of the connectorpin passage of the upright.
 8. The shelving assembly lock and connectorcombination according to claim 7, wherein the lock bar has a connectorpin clearance opening formed therethrough.
 9. The shelving assembly lockand connector combination according to claim 8, wherein the attachmentend of the lock bar has a beveled upper edge defining the lower edge ofthe connector pin clearance opening.
 10. The shelving assembly lock andconnector combination according to claim 7, wherein the lock tabcomprises mutually folded first and second extensions of the lock barformed integrally therewith.
 11. The shelving assembly lock andconnector combination according to claim 7, further including a fingerlift tab extending from the lock tab end of the lock bar.
 12. Theshelving assembly lock and connector combination according to claim 7,wherein the lock bar is formed of hardened steel.
 13. The shelvingassembly lock and connector combination according to claim 7, whereinthe compression spring comprises a thin, resilient metal leaf having anarrow, generally U-shaped cross section.
 14. A shelving assembly,comprising: a plurality of uprights having a plurality of elongatedconnector pin passages disposed therethrough, each of the connector pinpassages having an upper portion; a plurality of connectors, each of theconnectors having a lock bar contact face, an upright contact faceopposite the lock bar contact face, a connector pin extending from theupright contact face of the connector generally normal thereto, theconnector pin selectively engaging a corresponding one of the connectorpin passages of a corresponding one of the uprights, and at least onelock tab passage formed therethrough, the lock tab passage being alignedwith the upper portion of one of the connector pin passages of thecorresponding one of the uprights when one of the connectors isinstalled thereon; a lance tab extending from the lock bar contact faceof each of the connectors; a plurality of rigid lock bars having anattachment end pivotally disposed upon the lance tab of a correspondingone of the connectors, a lock tab end opposite the attachment end,mutually opposed first and second lateral edges, a front face, and aconnector contact face opposite the front face; a lock tab extendingfrom the lock tab end of the connector contact face of each of the lockbars generally normal thereto; and a spring disposed between each of theconnectors and the attachment end of a corresponding one of the lockbars, the spring urging the attachment end of the lock bar away from theconnector and the lock tab end of the lock bar toward the connector toengage the lock tab within the lock tab passage of the connector andupper portion of the connector pin passage of the corresponding one ofthe uprights.
 15. The shelving assembly according to claim 14, whereinthe lock bar has a connector pin clearance opening formed therethrough.16. The shelving assembly lock and connector combination according toclaim 15, wherein the attachment end of the lock bar has a beveled upperedge defining the lower edge of the connector pin clearance opening. 17.The shelving assembly according to claim 14, wherein the lock tabcomprises mutually folded first and second extensions of the lock barformed integrally therewith.
 18. The shelving assembly according toclaim 14, further including a finger lift tab extending from the locktab end of the lock bar.
 19. The shelving assembly according to claim14, wherein the lock bar is formed of hardened steel.
 20. The shelvingassembly according to claim 14, wherein the compression spring comprisesa thin, resilient metal leaf having a narrow, generally U-shaped crosssection.